Basketball basket support



June 29, @37 A. c. HOLMDAHL 2,985,206'

BASKETBALL BASKET SUPPORT Filed June 26, 1936 -Paienfed r.time 129, :1937

STATES PATEN'I" OFFICE 4 Claims.

An object of my invention is to provide a basket ball basket support of simple, durable and inexpensive construction.

A further object is to provide a basket ball basket support particularly adapted for ready mounting by hooking it over the upper edge of a door, the back of a chair or the like, so that it is thereby rigidly supported for use for basket ball practice, yet can be readily taken down when desired.

Still a further object is to provide a basket ball basket support in the form of aninverted U- shaped supporting member and a ring detachable relative thereto, yet rigidly connected therewith when the two are associated together, the U- shaped member being of such size that it can be readily hooked over the upper edge of any suitable support.

Still a further object is to provide in connection with the support a gong which is automatically rung each time a ball passes through the basket.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which: y

Figure 1 is a plan View of a basket ball basket support embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same on a reduced scale showing it mounted on the upper edge of a door.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing it mounted on the back of a chair.

Figure 4 is a side elevation as on the line 4 4 of Figure 2 showing how my device is associated with the door.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the support and a. portion of the basket ball basket ring.

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Figure 5; and

Figure 'l is a perspective view of an operating element for the gong.

reference character A to indicate generally a U- shaped support. It is preferably made of sheet metal so that it can be made economically, the

sheet metal being bent to form a front wall I0, a

top wall I2 and a rear flange I4. As shown in Figure 4, the member A is adapted for support on the upper edge of a door I6 by merely hooking it thereover, and then merely closing the door, whereupon the head jamb I8 retains 'the support A rigidly inposition. To prevent marring the On the accompanying drawing I have used the face of the door I6, a backing of felt or the like may be secured to the inner face of the front wall I0.

I provide a basket ball basket ring 22, which is almost a complete circle, the ends thereof terminating in downwardly extending prongs 24. The ring 22 is preferably made of a relatively heavy wire and the basket ball basket 26 is the usual cord or net type.

For rigidly mounting the ring 22 relative to the support A, I provide a pair of loops 28 formed by horizontally slitting the sheet metal plate l0 at vertically spaced points and bendingvthe loops forwardly out of the plane of the metal. The prongs 24 are pushed into the loops or sockets 28 to assemble the ring 22 relative to the support A.

In order to eliminate any instability or side wabbling of the ring 22, I provide a pair of projections 3D formed of the sheet metal plate I0 and forced outwardly from the plane thereof to a position where they contact with the ring as shown in Figure 1. The upper ends of the projections 30 are inclined as shown in Figure 6 to facilitate movement of the ring 22 downwardly onto the outer surfaces of the projections 30 to place the parts under sucient tension to provide the desired rigid connection between the ring and the support. When the two parts are assembled together and mounted as shown in Figures2 and 4, the ring 22 is held rigidly at right angles to the face of the door I6. Also the support A may be hooked over the back of a chair 32, as shown in Figure 3, :or over any suitable support adaptedy to be received by the support A.

A bUllS-eye 34 may be painted or otherwise applied to the plate I0 to indicate the desired spot to be struck by the basket ball to make it fall into the basket.

In connection with the basket ball basket support I preferably provide av gong 36 which may be actuated by any suitable clapper mechanism whenever a ball passes through the basket. By way of illustration, I show a loop 38 formed of sheet metal I0 and projecting forwardly to form a pivot bearing for a wire B, having a central portion pivoted in the bearing and ends terminating in a ringA 4I] and a clapper ball 42 respectively. A spring 44 normally retains the wire B against a stop 46.

Whenever a ball passes through the basket, it strikes the ring 4B and depresses it against the action of the spring 44, whereupon, after the ball has passed the ring, the spring swings the ring upwardly and the stop 46 stops it, whereupon the arm with the clapper 42 springs to a position striking the gong 36. This increases interest in the game.

I have provided a very economical, yet simply operable mechanism for supporting a basket ball basket and one which can be readily taken down and disassembled when not in use. Thegong 36, of course, need not be used, and the ring 42 can be associated with the support A in a manner different from the specific one disclosed.

Other changes may be made Without departing' from the real spirit and purpose of my invention,

and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modied forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a basket ball basket support, an inverted U-shaped member adapted for hooking over the upper edge of a door or the like, a ring having a pair of prongs, said U-shaped member having a pair of sockets to receive said prongs, a pair of projections on said U-shaped member engaging said ring to prevent lateral movement thereof relative to said U-shaped member and a basket ball basket suspended from said ring.

2. In a basket ball basket support, a sheet metal member of inverted U-shape adapted for hooking over the upper edge of a door or the like, a ring having a pair of prongs, said U-shaped member having a pair of loops formed therefrom and projecting from the plane thereof to receive said prongs, a pair ofprojections formed of the material of said U-shaped member and projecting therefrom to engage said ring to prevent lateral movement thereof relative to said U-shaped member `and a basket ball basket suspended from said Y ring. c

3. In a basket ball basket support, a supporting member, a ring having a pair of terminal ends connected with said supporting member, said ring and said member having coacting engaging parts arranged to prevent lateral movement of the ring relative to saidsupporting member and a basket V porting member and projecting therefrom to engage said ring to prevent lateral movement thereof relative to said supporting member and a basket ball basket suspended from said ring.

C. HOLMDAHL. 

